Electric flight
Laying the groundwork for zero-emission aviation
Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion is rapidly revolutionising mobility technologies across industries, from automotive to marine. And the aviation industry is no exception. At Airbus, our work in electric flight aims to lay the groundwork for future industry-wide adoption and regulatory acceptance of alternative-propulsion commercial aircraft and urban air vehicles.
In 2010, Airbus embarked on its electrification journey, developing the world’s first all-electric, four-engine aerobatic aircraft, CriCri. Since then, we have made significant progress in the electrification of flight. Our all-electric, twin-propeller aircraft E-Fan successfully crossed the English Channel in 2015. Our electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) demonstrator projects, Vahana and CityAirbus, have completed many hours of rigorous and comprehensive flight testing programmes to ensure safety and high performance. E-Fan X, the successor to E-Fan that is 30-times more powerful than its predecessor, has provided invaluable insights on serial hybrid-electric propulsion.
CityAirbus
The CityAirbus was presented on March 11 at the City of Ingolstadt to members of the German government and the public. Citizens had the opportunity to ask Airbus experts questions about the vehicle and the concept of Urban Air Mobility. Airbus and Ingolstadt believe that a dialogue between manufacturer, authorities and the public are a prerequisite for the successful introduction of Urban Air Mobility in the infrastructure of cities. Airbus and Ingolstadt are partners in the framework of the EU’s EIP-SCC initiative for smart cities.
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